May calls for snap United Kingdom election

19 April, 2017

Justifying the decision, Mrs May said: "The country is coming together but Westminster is not". "If we do not hold a general election now, their political game-playing will continue, and the negotiations with the European Union will reach their most hard stage in the run-up to the next scheduled election".

European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted that he had a "good phone call" with May about the election, and the council said the bloc's Brexit plans were unchanged by the announcement.

That means that May would either have to repeal the Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which at the time was meant to provide stability in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, or orchestrate a vote of no-confidence in her own government.

Theresa May said she would move a motion in the House of Commons on Wednesday, proposing an election on the 8 of June.

Such statements are generally reserved for major news, such as resignations and election calls.

"The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business of government to a standsill". It will also enable her to set her own policy agenda rather than be bound by that on which Mr. Cameron built his electoral platform in 2015, the year before the Brexit referendum. Under current legislation, the next election was not scheduled to take place until 2020.

Although the conservative leader admitted to have arrived at such determination "unwillingly", she considers this election necessary to guarantee the strong leadership the country needs.

The Prime Minister framed her apparent U-turn as an attempt to end "political gameplaying" and guarantee the United Kingdom a strong government for Brexit negotiations.

He said: "The previous campaign is still relatively fresh in everyone's memory and I'm looking forward to being able to go out and say what we're going to get all the things Theresa May has promised".

"The economy may well be a factor, but I suspect the Conservatives' lead in the opinion poll ranks above that".

May's surprise election is a "bid to cement her party's grip on power", says The Independent.

Since I became Prime Minister, the Government has delivered precisely that. But even that basic framework - which spelled out that Britain would leave the EU's single market - caused divisions in her party and involved several rounds of deliberations before a coherent plan could be presented.

'Personally I think the Tories will win at a canter and it will be very predictable after a lot of unpredictable politics.

COMMENTS

Recent Posts

Opposition to challenge votes on expanding Erdogan's powersApr 19, 2017
Kilicdaroglu said the referendum result was not only a success for his party, the CHP, but everyone who defended democracy. Erdogan lashed back at the global monitors' initial findings, telling them to "know their place", Reuters reported.

Giants' Posey struck in head by pitch, leaves gameApr 19, 2017
While Posey has always been known for his hot bat at the plate, the Giants will likely miss him just as much on the defensive end. Moore would not let that happen again, cruising through eight innings on 93 pitches while yielding just three hits and no walks.